Persistence pays off

An interesting Saturday on the South Side started with a text message sent early in the morning.

"I can go today, Skip" was the gist of pitcher Mark Buehrle's text to White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen just hours after the veteran lefty had tossed 1 inning -- and exactly 6 pitches -- Friday night against Baltimore before persistent rains forced postponement of the game.

After the game, Sox pitching coach Don Cooper and Guillen announced that Buehrle's next start would come in the series finale against the Orioles on Monday.

Buehrle, though, had other plans and spent Saturday morning lobbying Guillen.

"I'm working on pitching today," Buehrle told reporters first thing Saturday. "They're in there talking. Coop said he wasn't listening, Ozzie said he wasn't listening, but I got them to at least consider it."

That in itself was a victory for Buehrle, and in time Guillen relented.

"We talked for about a half-hour and we all agreed he would be fine," Guillen said. "I think it's good news. It gets people's minds clear about Buehrle's health.

"This was an easy decision."

And Buehrle came through, allowing just 3 runs in 6 innings and left with the Sox leading 5-3. He didn't figure in the decision but was happy he held his own.

"I knew I didn't want to get hit around too much because Ozzie would've let me hear about it," he said with a laugh.

Going down: After Saturday's nightcap with the Orioles, the Sox optioned reliever Mike MacDougal to Classs AAA Charlotte. MacDougal, 31, is 0-0 with a 2.08 ERA but has allowed 8 hits and walked seven in 8 relief appearances.

The Sox will make a corresponding roster move before today's game.

Fightin' words: Baltimore manager Dave Trembley was still talking tough a day after a couple of fans ran onto the field and disrupted action during the Orioles' game in Seattle.

"That's embarrassing to baseball," Trembley said. "I wish I could have taken them in the back room. I would have kicked the snot out of both of them."

He said it: Sox slugger Jim Thome on whether he ever thought he would pass legends such as Ernie Banks and Eddie Matthews on the all-time home runs list: "Never. I never fathomed this after playing five to 10 years. You never know with injuries or how things can kind of unfold. It's been a great ride, it really has."

He said it II: John Danks after learning he has not allowed a walk to the last 66 batters he's faced: "Wow, really?"